The roads around the collector will become one-way corridors that will be widened

Steps will be taken to ensure pedestrian safety by constructing sidewalks on the road. | Photo credit: File Photo

In the face of public outcry over a speeding private bus fatally hitting a young woman walking on a road near the Infopark which had no sidewalks on Wednesday (November 4), it was decided to convert all roads around the collectorate into one-way corridors.

Besides, the roads around the collectorate will be widened by acquiring land from the collectorate premises, Kerala Books and Publications Society (KBPS) and other nearby lands. The village of Thrikkakara will rebuild its compound walls.

In addition, a feasibility study will be done to convert the narrow IMG Junction-Infopark road, where the accident took place, into a one-way stretch. Further, steps will be taken to ensure the safety of pedestrians by building sidewalks on the road. Officials of civic and other agencies have been directed to remove hanging cables and abandoned poles from the stretch.

Apart from this, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has issued guidelines to adjust the time allotted for running rides on various routes to prevent reckless driving. The MVD and the police must also take strict action against bus crews who do not have the mandatory police clearance certificate. The decisions were taken on Saturday (November 7) in a meeting chaired by Thrikkakara MLA Uma Thomas at the collectorate.

After a week, a meeting will be called to assess the progress of the work entrusted to each department. Follow-up meetings will be held at frequent intervals to discuss accident prevention measures on the stretch, Ms Thomas said.

The meeting was attended by District Collector G. Priyanka, officials of the National Transport Planning and Research Centre, Public Works Department, Kochi Metro Rail Limited and MVD, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ernakulam) Arun K. Pavithran and Thrikkakara District Chairman Rashid Ullampally.

Published – November 7, 2026 10:37 PM IST